Golf Courses On The Emerald Coast: Complete Guide

Golf Courses on the Emerald Coast: The Complete Guide

Florida’s Emerald Coast stretches roughly 100 miles along the Panhandle from Pensacola in the west to Panama City Beach in the east. Along that corridor you’ll find somewhere between 20 and 30 golf courses depending on how far inland you’re willing to drive, ranging from Arnold Palmer designs on barrier islands to municipal tracks that locals have played for decades.

This guide covers the full picture — organized by area so you can plan a trip or find the closest course to wherever you’re staying.

What Makes Emerald Coast Golf Different

Most of coastal Florida golf is built on flat, featureless terrain. The Emerald Coast has more topographic variety — pine forests, bay corridors, coastal wetlands, and in a few spots, genuine elevation changes that produce the kind of hilly terrain you don’t associate with Florida. Add the bay views along Choctawhatchee Bay and the consistent Gulf breeze and you’ve got conditions that are more interesting than most of what you find along the I-4 corridor.

The courses also tend to run less expensive than comparable layouts around Orlando or Naples. Peak season greens fees at the best courses in the area run $100–$180, with municipal and semi-private options available for $40–$70. Year-round playability means you can plan a trip in any month without much weather risk.

Pensacola Area Courses

The westernmost end of the Emerald Coast has a solid cluster of public and semi-private courses that don’t get as much visitor attention as Destin but hold up well in quality.

Lost Key Golf Club — Designed by Arnold Palmer on Perdido Key, about 30 minutes southwest of Pensacola. The course winds through coastal wetlands on a barrier island, playing narrow and tree-lined with water throughout. It was the first course in Florida to receive Audubon International Silver Signature Sanctuary certification. It’s a demanding track that rewards accurate ball-strikers.

Marcus Pointe Golf Club — A public course north of downtown Pensacola designed by Earl Stone. Consistently praised for maintenance and conditioning. Strategic bunkers and water hazards throughout an 18-hole championship layout. Widely considered the best all-around public golf experience in the Pensacola metro.

Perdido Bay Golf Club — A former PGA Tour host with a championship layout available to the public. The history and course design give it credibility beyond what the greens fee suggests.

Scenic Hills Country Club — The only Florida course to have hosted a U.S. Women’s Open (1969). Redesigned by Jerry Pate in 1992, it offers challenging, undulating terrain at rates under $40 on weekdays. The distinction and the price make it one of the best values in the region.

Osceola Municipal Golf Course — A 27-hole municipal course near downtown Pensacola that’s been in play since the 1920s. Affordable, beginner-friendly, and historically significant as one of the oldest layouts in Northwest Florida.

AC Read Golf Course — Located inside Naval Air Station Pensacola and open to the public. Large oaks and water features throughout. Consistently rated one of the prettiest courses on the Panhandle.

Fort Walton Beach & Niceville Area Courses

Fort Walton Beach Golf Club (Oaks & Pines) — A 36-hole city-owned facility with two distinct courses. The Oaks is more challenging with water hazards; the Pines is more open and beginner-accessible. Great value for public-access golf in Okaloosa County.

Shalimar Pointe Golf Club — 18 holes on the north shore of Choctawhatchee Bay in Shalimar. Dye-Finger design with placed bunkers, bay views, and a recently renovated clubhouse. Consistently rated as one of the better-kept secrets in Northwest Florida golf.

Bluewater Bay Golf Club — A multi-nine-hole complex in Niceville with a quieter, more local feel. Pine forest and bay-front terrain, good conditions, and fewer crowds than the Highway 98 corridor.

Destin Area Courses

Destin has the densest concentration of high-quality golf on the Emerald Coast. For full details on each course, see our Best Golf Courses in Destin, Florida guide.

Kelly Plantation Golf Club — Fred Couples and Gene Bates design on Choctawhatchee Bay. 7,099 yards, rated near 74.8 from the tips. Considered the best overall course in Destin. Bay views on the back nine are among the finest on the coast.

Regatta Bay Golf & Yacht Club — Robert C. Walker design, renovated 2019. Semi-private, open to the public. 6,853 yards, marshland routing, strong par-3s.

Emerald Bay Golf Club — 18 holes along Choctawhatchee Bay. Renovated 2014. Bay views, decent challenge, good clubhouse.

Indian Bayou Golf Club — Two nine-hole courses (Seminole and Choctaw) with Earl Stone’s design. Members-only access.

Sandestin / Miramar Beach — Four Courses

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort sits in Miramar Beach east of Destin and operates four distinct 18-hole championship courses across 72 holes of play.

Burnt Pine Golf Club — Rees Jones design, 7,001 yards (rating 74.7). Pine forests and wetlands on the front, bay views on the back. Golf Magazine’s “Crown Jewel of Florida Golf.” Semi-private access.

Raven Golf Club — Robert Trent Jones II design, 6,931 yards (rating 73.8). Hilly terrain unusual for coastal Florida. Multiple architects involved across the nines over three decades.

Baytowne Golf Club — 6,804 yards (rating 73.2). Most accessible of the Sandestin four. Good for mid to high handicappers.

The Links Golf Club — 6,710 yards (rating 72.2). Bay views, relaxed layout, forgiving for beginners.

South Walton / 30A Area Courses

The 30A corridor itself doesn’t have full-scale golf courses — it’s a narrow strip between the Gulf and coastal dune lakes — but several courses sit just north of the 30A communities.

Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club — A semi-private layout in Santa Rosa Beach with bayfront views and a quiet, local feel. One of the less-discussed courses on the coast but worth seeking out.

The Sandestin courses are the closest championship-level golf to the 30A corridor and accessible within 20–30 minutes from communities like Rosemary Beach and Watercolor.

Panama City Beach Area Courses

The eastern end of the Emerald Coast has a handful of solid public options.

Signal Hill Golf Course — The oldest golf course in Panama City Beach. 18 holes with a traditional layout and affordable rates.

Hombre Golf Club — A popular public track in Panama City Beach with a challenging layout and good facilities.

Shark’s Tooth Golf Club — One of the newer courses in the area, designed by Larry Nelson. Plays through natural preserved land with significant bunkering. Consistently ranked among the best public courses in the Panama City Beach area.

Emerald Coast Golf: Full Course Directory

Planning Your Emerald Coast Golf Trip

A three-day golf trip covering the best of the region looks something like this: Day one at Kelly Plantation in the morning, Regatta Bay in the afternoon if you’re up for it (or the next day). Day two at one of the Sandestin courses — Raven or Burnt Pine if you can get access. Day three at Shalimar Pointe if you want to stretch west, or Emerald Bay for a more relaxed finish.

For those basing from Pensacola, Marcus Pointe and Lost Key are the anchors, with a day trip east to Destin if the itinerary allows. Panama City Beach golfers should start at Shark’s Tooth before heading west to Sandestin.

The full region doesn’t require a car shuttle — most of the Highway 98 corridor is driveable in under 45 minutes end to end, meaning you can stay in one place and access most courses on the list without relocating.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many golf courses are on the Emerald Coast? Depending on your geographic boundaries, somewhere between 20 and 30. The densest concentration is in the Destin-Miramar Beach area, with strong options in both Pensacola to the west and Panama City Beach to the east.

What is the best golf course on the Emerald Coast? Kelly Plantation in Destin and Burnt Pine at Sandestin are the most consistently ranked at the top. Both require a bit of planning — Kelly Plantation fills fast, Burnt Pine requires resort access — but both deliver on the expectation.

Is Emerald Coast golf expensive? By Florida resort-golf standards, no. You can play excellent public courses for $40–$70. The premium courses (Kelly Plantation, Regatta Bay, Burnt Pine) run $100–$180. Compared to comparable courses near Orlando or Naples, the Emerald Coast is a relative value.

What is the best time of year to golf on the Emerald Coast? Fall (October–November) and spring (March–April) offer the best combination of comfortable temperatures and green conditions. Summer is hot but manageable with early morning tee times. Winter sees rate discounts and lighter crowds, with temperatures typically staying in the 50s–60s.